GPS to contest Australian Club Rugby Championship at Ballymore

Ballymore will play host to the Australian Club Rugby Championship in 2019, with GPS set to clash with Sydney University on March 16.

GPS prop Fred Burke. Photo Credit: QRU Media - Brendan Hertel.

Ballymore will play host to the Australian Club Rugby Championship in 2019, with GPS set to clash with Sydney University on March 16.

After winning the Hospital Cup for the first time in 22 years, GPS will have the opportunity to add another piece of silverware to their trophy cabinet when they meet Shute Shield Premiers Sydney University.

The clash will be broadcasted live on Fox Sports.

A Queensland side has not won the annual fixture since 2011, when University of Queensland defeated their Sydney University counterparts, while Jeeps have never lifted the trophy.

Newly appointed GPS head coach Elwee Prinsloo said the chance to play for the national championship was a huge opportunity for the club.

“It’s a bi-product of our hard work last year and it will be a really big occasion for Jeeps as a club,” said Prinsloo.

“It’s special for us to get the chance to play but it’s not our major focus right now.

“Our main focus is to be there next August in Premier Rugby. It would be pretty special to win back-to-back titles considering no one has done it for a while, that’s our focus.”

The Gallopers title-defence preparations are already well underway, with pre-season training in full swing at Yoku Road.

“It’s been pretty solid,” Prinsloo said of Jeeps’ pre-season so far.

“We’ve had a real focus on athletic development. It’s an area we identified we needed to be better at and we are really getting stronger.

“We’ve put a lot of effort into our positional and individual skills as well and are pushing forward into next year.”

Alongside skill and fitness development, the Gallopers have also continued to foster a positive club culture at Yoku Road.

“Culturally Jeeps has never been stronger,” said Prinsloo.

“The boys really care for each other as mates on-and-off the field and that only makes the team stronger.

“We know that we need to shift our game and improve next year because otherwise we won’t be in that top four come finals time.”